Lithium Chloride Prevents Degradation of Cartilages in Patients With Osteoarthritis

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Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disorder of the cartilages in joints leading to pain and immobility. There is no cure to this disease. A study that used bovine cartilage samples exposed to inflammatory molecules to follow the effects of arthritis and then used lithium chloride to treat the tissue, suggested that this commonly-used drug could be used to prevent the degradation and loss of mechanical integrity of cartilages in patients with arthritis.

Lithium Chloride Prevents Degradation of Cartilages in Patients With Osteoarthritis

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Co-author Martin Knight, a professor from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) said, "Osteoarthritis has a devastating impact on the lives of many people in the UK and it is vital that we look for novel ways to prevent it."

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The research team also found that long-term dietary use of lithium did not cause arthritis. Knight said, "While we're still at an early stage in researching lithium's effects on cartilage and its suitability as a treatment, the possibility that an already widely available pharmaceutical could slow its progress is a significant step forward."

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